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J. N. ROBERTS.

DESK CURTAIN. No. 447,415.

Patented Mar. 3,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE,

JOI-IN N. ROBERTS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

DESK-CURTAIN.

SPECIFICATION formng'part of Letters Patent No. 447,415, dated March 3,1891.

Application filed October v28, 1889. Serial No. 328,444- (NO IHOQL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN N. ROBERTS, of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Desk-Curtains; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying. drawings, in which like letters refer to like parts.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of what are known as flexible desk-curtains, and will be understood from the following description.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front view of my device, partly broken away, showing the arrangement of the links. Fig. 2-is a section on the line a: 9c, Fig. l. Fig.V 3 is a side view of one of the links folded up, the dotted lines indicating the position of the link when partlyY open for passingthe head on one end through the slot ofthe next link with which it is intended to be coupled.

In det-ail the desk-curtain is composed of slats s, jointed one upon another, as shownin Fig. 2.

b is the base, having staples st fastened in its upper edge.

71, are metallic links formed of a single strip of metal with slots sl in each end, an oset made on one end, at least, below the slot,so that such end will pass through the slot of the next link. Of course this offset maybe made on both ends, making the two ends of the link alike in this respect, but the offset is necessary at least at one end, or the links cannot be coupled as herein proposed. IV hen coupled to form a chain, each link is reversed with reference to the direction of its head as compared with the one above and below it. This is necessary in order to secure the hinging in a substantially straight line through the series of slats that compose the desk-cur'- tain.

The manner of connecting the device together is as follows: The link is opened and passed through a staple st, driven into the base b. The ends are folded together and passed through the slat, so that the upper end of the double link will slightly project above the rounded edge of the slat so far as to allow the insertion of the end of the next, link through the slots of the one in the slat. The

next link is now opened and the end with an offset below passed through the slots of the link below, turned about., and then folded up together in the manner shown in. Fig. 3, and passed through the slat, care being taken in eachrinstance in putting them together to reverse the respective ends of the adjacent links in the manner shown in Fig. l. This operation is continued untila sufcient num ber of slats have been connected to form a curtain, and then the end of the last projecting link may be either left slightly protruded,

or bent over upon the slat by a tap of the hammer. The link being made of thin annealed metal will allow this to be done without injury.

The construction herein shown dispenses entirely with the use of nails or screws, so that the contraction or expansion of the wood, which is quite common in curtains of this kind, owing to varying temperature and humidity of the atmosphere, can readily take place, as the slat can move readily on the links, the slits being made so as to allow this, and there will be no fixed point where such expansion and contraction will injuriously affect the wood, because it is nowhere directly connected to the link.

I am aware that desk-curtains have been connected together by strips or sheets of metal passing through slits formed in the slats,but these have been fastened to each Slat by screws or nails, which furnish a point where thereA will be a strain brought upon the wood by the expansion and contraction before mentioned, and theslats cannot adjust themselves readily to each other, owing to such peculiar style of fastening.

What I claim as my invention, and desire -to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

IOO

nccted by a chain composed of links 7L, formed of strips of metal having slots SZ, such links having an offset below the slot to admit its passage through the slots of the next link,ali combined substantially as described.

4. A desk-curtain comprising a series of slats hinged together by links passing through slits in such slats, the links having slots sl in each end, and one end having an offset below its slot forpermittingits passage through the slots of the next link, all combined substantially as shown and described.

5. A desk-cnrtain composed of slats strung upon links hinged the one to the other, forming a continuons chain, the link passing entirel y through the slat and provided with slots at right angles to its length to receive the JOHN N. ROBERTS.

Titnessesz C. P. JACOBS, E. B. GRIFFITH. 

